Killing Lincoln-Review by Lisa

Hi Ladies--I thought I would write the review for this month's book, Killing Lincoln, before I got caught up in the weekend "before school starts!" scramble!.We had a lively meeting and missed those that weren't able to join us.The book was written by Bill O'Reilly during a time when he felt that America needed a boost in patriotism. "For those of us who want to improve the United States and keep it the greatest nation in the world, we must be aware of the true heroes who have made the country great as well as the villains who have besmirched it...this book is written as a thriller...What you are about to read is unsanitized and uncompromising." He portrayed Lincoln in a way many of us haven't considered, as an American hero who didn't just free the slaves(actually he wasn't as passionate about slavery as most think),but as a hero who wanted to keep the country together.  Lincoln actually wore his belief and passion embroidered in his coat ..."one country, one destiny"..

     We rated the book overall with a score of 3.5.  Most of us "loved it, enjoyed the details, learned a lot, were intrigued ,compelled, entertained and engaged" by the the story. We were fascinated with the medical details from the doctor's journals and notes. Many of us were not aware of the other assassination attempts planned simultaneously with Lincoln's murder. We also didn't realize he was killed so soon after the Civil War. The details and information used from the many primary sources..diaries, journals, pictures, maps... kept the book engaging and brought the history lesson to life. BUT..  a few of us also felt it was somewhat choppy and confusing in the writing. That even with the many primary sources  used in the writing, the book was wasn't as scholarly and objective as most historical factual books. 

      We also were made aware of the controversy surrounding Booth's death.  There are conflicting stories about his death and potential escape to the south.  So much so, that Booth's descendants have agreed to have his body exhumed, and DNA compared with that from the three vertebrae that were taken from "the man" the soldiers shot at the farm. The Smithsonian has taken the DNA and results were to be announced this past Spring, but haven't yet been released.  I, Lisa, will keep everyone posted for I find this research amazing. It could make or break the history books! 

The anchor of The O'Reilly Factor recounts one of the most dramatic stories in American history—how one gunshot changed the country forever. In the spring of 1865, the bloody saga of America's Civil War finally comes to an end after a series of increasingly harrowing battles. President Abraham Lincoln's generous terms for Robert E. Lee's surrender are devised to fulfill Lincoln's dream of healing a divided nation, with the former Confederates allowed to reintegrate into American society. But one man and his band of murderous accomplices, perhaps reaching into the highest ranks of the U.S. government, are not appeased.
In the midst of the patriotic celebrations in Washington D.C., John Wilkes Booth—charismatic ladies' man and impenitent racist—murders Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre. A furious manhunt ensues and Booth immediately becomes the country's most wanted fugitive. Lafayette C. Baker, a smart but shifty New York detective and former Union spy, unravels the string of clues leading to Booth, while federal forces track his accomplices. The thrilling chase ends in a fiery shootout and a series of court-ordered executions—including that of the first woman ever executed by the U.S. government, Mary Surratt. Featuring some of history's most remarkable figures, vivid detail, and page-turning action, Killing Lincoln is history that reads like a thriller.